Know the name George Formaro? You probably should. He’s the dynamo chef who runs some of the hippest tickets in Des Moines: Centro, Django, Gateway Market, Zombie Burger and more. He was recently recognized for his prolific entrepre­neur­ship with a nomination from the James Beard Foundation in New York as a semifinalist for best restaurateur of 2013.

But when Formaro started, he was just a guy who wanted to craft great bread, and his workshop was a little kitchen called South Union Bakery. Then Formaro took on partners, relocated and grew.

Today, this luncheonette stands at the crux of his restaurant empire. It rubs elbows with Formaro’s Italian eatery, Centro, in the grand Masonic Temple building and thrives as a workweek grub hub that sells soups, salads and tasty artisan-bread sandwiches. On most days, you’ll find a snaking line of customers as testimony to the cafe’s popularity with area nine-to-fivers. Some businesses get discounts, so if you work nearby check to see if you’re eligible for a deal.

The menu is uncompli­cated. Sandwich options include some that are hot, some that are cold and a daily sandwich special (all sandwiches are $6.39 for a regular size, $11.79 for a large). Just look to the far left side of the menu board for what special is available that day. Who doesn’t love Friday’s option: an Italian roast beef sandwich with sauteed onions and a medley of pickled vegetables called giardiniera that virtually explodes with bright flavor. For an extra $3, you also get a fountain drink and soup, pasta or potato salad on the side.

I always get the belly-filling house soup, potato pepperjack cheese, but there is a rotating soup-of-the-day option as well.

For a light lunch, there’s a respectable salad bar ($5 for a regular bowl, $9 for a large). Meanwhile, the specialty salads ($6.39 for a regular bowl, $11.79 for a large) are hearty affairs. The names say it all: taco, chicken BLT, Italian, Cuban, Cajun tuna — the list goes on. My favorite is the zesty chicken Caesar salad, which comes with plenty of diced chicken and satisfying house-made flatbread. By the way, if you prefer to eat your salad between two pieces of bread, the chicken Caesar is the sandwich special on Thursdays.

Lest I gloss over the crux of any bakery, I will note that the bread here is excellent. Sandwiches are on flatbread, hoagies or the savory garlic focaccia. When toasted, slices of the focaccia are magnificently crunchy while still pillowy inside, and they make the best sandwich bread. You can buy a loaf to take home ($5) or sample it for free in the cafe, where there’s a help-yourself bin of chunked bread alongside olive oil and grated Parmesan.

Much like Formaro himself, South Union is a hustling, bustling marr­iage of Italian and Mid­west sensibilities — full of flavor, color and texture, and overflowing with conviviality.

It’s an aesthetic that plays well here, and it’ll be fun to see how this passionate chef goes over with the James Beard crowd in New York City. Finalists will be announced on Monday.